A lot of couples have their wedding "splurge." Be it photography, the dreamy designer dress, an ultimate honeymoon, or some mayjah bling bling, there's always that little sumthin' sumthin' something that puts the icing on the proverbial wedding cake.
Every time we visit our wedding budget spreadsheet, there's a vendor charge in one of the excel cells that can be clearly identified as our splurge. I take full blame for it because, wells, it was something really important to me dammit. They were the first vendor that we booked months and months ago because I was scared that if we waited much longer they would not be available for our wedding date. Mr. Tortolito, being the awesome man that he is, agreed with my plan (go team!) and we proceeded to commit to the vendor that will be adding some flavor and latin love to our reception.
The Susie Hansen Latin Band:
Can I tell you how excited I am to dance with Mr. Tortolito at our wedding? Anybody who knows me knows that I am all over the dance floor all day, every day. Our wedding will be no exception! I know our guests will be all over it too! I'm looking forward for our salsa band to really get the party started and keep it going. Mr. Tortolito and I even began taking salsa class together to get our technique down and become more comfortable partner dancing. I gotta give mad props to my man, though, for being such a great sport and a bomb dancer!
Although this is our splurge, I know that it will be totally worth it. I'm looking forward to the energy and nonstop dance party that the band will no doubt provide for our reception.
Did you have a splurge? What was it?
Friday, June 26, 2009
Tuesday, June 23, 2009
I Love Me Some Talavera
I've mentioned my obsession with Mexican talavera before, but I haven't shared the origins of this obsession. While visiting the beautiful state of Guanajuato just after getting engaged, Mr. Tortolito and I spent a couple days in the city of Dolores Hidalgo - a city famous for its pottery. I fell in love with the city as we walked through the streets lined with stores selling hand made talavera goods.
Even though we hadn't started planning any wedding details, I knew that I wanted to incorporate Mexican talavera somehow.
Several months later when we began to finalize a theme and feel for our wedding, talavera was still on my mind. While flipping through a wedding magazine, I came across the perfect inspiration:
{Source}
Forget the flowers, how gorg is that vase? This was it. We were going to use talavera centerpieces. Nevermind the fact that Dolores Hidalgo is a few thousand miles away from Los Angeles. These were our centerpieces. We knew it.
Fast forward another couple months and here we were brainstorming on how to get 20+ vases from Dolores Hidalgo to LA before November. Should we find contacts for stores in the city, place an order for vases, and have them shipped? Nah. Shipping would be too expensive. Should we make a weekend trip to Mexico, buy whatever vases are in stock and bring them back with us? Also too expensive, and how in the world would we carry them on the plane with us?
THEN, the perfect opportunity came up. Mr. Tortolito's dad had a friend who was visiting family in Mexico for a few months. The friend would be driving back to LA soon, and we were told he had space in his truck if we need him to bring us some goods. Through a very fortunate turn of event, perfect timing, and very helpful family members, we were able to get talavera vases delivered to us. We are very appreciative of Mr. Tortolito's uncle who made a couple trips to Dolores Hidalgo to custom order talavera vases and pick them up. He then took the boxes of vases to the friend who offered to drive them back to the U.S. I didn't think everything would work out so well until the night when Mr. Tortolito's dad's friend showed up at Mr. Tortolito's house to drop off six heavy boxes containing our centerpieces.
I'm sure you can imagine how excited I was when we opened the boxes to find these:
Compare to our inspiration above:
Loves! I can't wait to start doing flower trials with them. I'm trying to figure out a way to create simple flower arrangements as I'm certainly not going to make something as elaborate as those from our inspiration example. Am I crazy for wanting to make my own centerpiece arrangements? Perhaps...
I often find myself surprised and humbled by the support that others offer to make their loved ones' wedding just that much more special. What acts of kindness have you experienced during your wedding planning process?
Even though we hadn't started planning any wedding details, I knew that I wanted to incorporate Mexican talavera somehow.
Several months later when we began to finalize a theme and feel for our wedding, talavera was still on my mind. While flipping through a wedding magazine, I came across the perfect inspiration:
{Source}Forget the flowers, how gorg is that vase? This was it. We were going to use talavera centerpieces. Nevermind the fact that Dolores Hidalgo is a few thousand miles away from Los Angeles. These were our centerpieces. We knew it.
Fast forward another couple months and here we were brainstorming on how to get 20+ vases from Dolores Hidalgo to LA before November. Should we find contacts for stores in the city, place an order for vases, and have them shipped? Nah. Shipping would be too expensive. Should we make a weekend trip to Mexico, buy whatever vases are in stock and bring them back with us? Also too expensive, and how in the world would we carry them on the plane with us?
THEN, the perfect opportunity came up. Mr. Tortolito's dad had a friend who was visiting family in Mexico for a few months. The friend would be driving back to LA soon, and we were told he had space in his truck if we need him to bring us some goods. Through a very fortunate turn of event, perfect timing, and very helpful family members, we were able to get talavera vases delivered to us. We are very appreciative of Mr. Tortolito's uncle who made a couple trips to Dolores Hidalgo to custom order talavera vases and pick them up. He then took the boxes of vases to the friend who offered to drive them back to the U.S. I didn't think everything would work out so well until the night when Mr. Tortolito's dad's friend showed up at Mr. Tortolito's house to drop off six heavy boxes containing our centerpieces.
I'm sure you can imagine how excited I was when we opened the boxes to find these:
Compare to our inspiration above:
Loves! I can't wait to start doing flower trials with them. I'm trying to figure out a way to create simple flower arrangements as I'm certainly not going to make something as elaborate as those from our inspiration example. Am I crazy for wanting to make my own centerpiece arrangements? Perhaps...
I often find myself surprised and humbled by the support that others offer to make their loved ones' wedding just that much more special. What acts of kindness have you experienced during your wedding planning process?
Sunday, June 21, 2009
The Registry: Continued
Mr. Tortolito gave you a great perspective on our registry adventure. I just thought I'd chime in to share the details of our registry items and why we selected what we did. Coming up with the perfect wish list of sorts is the fun part anyway, isn't it?
We made the decision to register at only one store for several reasons. We absolutely don't expect or require our guests to give us gifts at our wedding. Should they feel so inclined, a registry is super helpful for guests who wish to gift a couple with items that they actually need. We also aren't announcing our registry much. We don't have a wedding website (nor do we plan on making one) and we won't be announcing our registry with our invitation suite. I know this is a pretty controversial topic and I honestly don't think there is a right or a wrong. Every wedding invitation that I've ever received from family has included a registry announcement of some sort, and I agree that it has been useful for my family as guests. But the way we see it, the invitation for our wedding is coming from us as a couple...Mr. & Miss. Tortolita. Not parents, not family members. Who are we to suggest that people bring us gifts? I want to leave that option totally up to our guests. Gifts or no gifts, we will be happy if our family & friends dedicate a day out of their busy schedules to party it up with us! If they want to donate to the "help domesticate Los Tortolitos" cause, then the option is totally there. That's why we wanted keep it simple and register at only one store that was pretty well-known and that we know is local to all our guests. Macy's was a good option for us. As for the "how are your guests going to know where you're registered?" question, well we're leaving that up to word of mouth and the "search registry" option on all those wedding websites out there.
On to the goods!
I'm gonna go ahead and agree with Mr. Tortolito that the recommended items list provided by Macy's was just a bit too formal for us. Fine china? Mmmm..prolly won't be needing that. We do want a step up from our current dining sets and home items in general. When we purchased our home last November, we stocked up on the bare minimum in a effort to keep saving for the wedding. Think Target college dorm/apartment sets. Yeah, we definitely need to step up our game and start our collection of good quality home items.
We opted for a "casual" china dining set. Not too fancy, yet presentable (and I won't feel like I lost a small fortune if I happen to break a dish):
We were at a toss-up when it came to deciding cookware. I absolutely love to cook and prepare meals, so this was an important part of our registry to me. But dang, those cookware set prices were intimidating! I don't mind having a collection of non-matching cookware so we included items à la carte:
You get the idea.
Aside from other essentials, we included some extraneous items that many of us brides drool over.
Wow. I might actually feel obliged to donate my first born son to whoever buys this for us.
Fondue party, anyone?
Tea time?
A girl can dream, no? We also threw in a good assortment of odds 'n ends: spice rack, cooking tongs, measuring cups, etc. Our complete registry is still a work in progress, but we are really making an effort to include all price ranges.
Creating our registry was a really fun activity for us. Exhausting, but fun! I'm not sure if it's even going to be helpful since we aren't formally announcing it, but we had a great time browsing through items and choosing those that would help our humble little loft feel more like a home to us.
So. What do you think? Are wedding registries really useful or even necessary? Should we not get our hopes up if we aren't announcing it anywhere?
We made the decision to register at only one store for several reasons. We absolutely don't expect or require our guests to give us gifts at our wedding. Should they feel so inclined, a registry is super helpful for guests who wish to gift a couple with items that they actually need. We also aren't announcing our registry much. We don't have a wedding website (nor do we plan on making one) and we won't be announcing our registry with our invitation suite. I know this is a pretty controversial topic and I honestly don't think there is a right or a wrong. Every wedding invitation that I've ever received from family has included a registry announcement of some sort, and I agree that it has been useful for my family as guests. But the way we see it, the invitation for our wedding is coming from us as a couple...Mr. & Miss. Tortolita. Not parents, not family members. Who are we to suggest that people bring us gifts? I want to leave that option totally up to our guests. Gifts or no gifts, we will be happy if our family & friends dedicate a day out of their busy schedules to party it up with us! If they want to donate to the "help domesticate Los Tortolitos" cause, then the option is totally there. That's why we wanted keep it simple and register at only one store that was pretty well-known and that we know is local to all our guests. Macy's was a good option for us. As for the "how are your guests going to know where you're registered?" question, well we're leaving that up to word of mouth and the "search registry" option on all those wedding websites out there.
On to the goods!
I'm gonna go ahead and agree with Mr. Tortolito that the recommended items list provided by Macy's was just a bit too formal for us. Fine china? Mmmm..prolly won't be needing that. We do want a step up from our current dining sets and home items in general. When we purchased our home last November, we stocked up on the bare minimum in a effort to keep saving for the wedding. Think Target college dorm/apartment sets. Yeah, we definitely need to step up our game and start our collection of good quality home items.
We opted for a "casual" china dining set. Not too fancy, yet presentable (and I won't feel like I lost a small fortune if I happen to break a dish):
We were at a toss-up when it came to deciding cookware. I absolutely love to cook and prepare meals, so this was an important part of our registry to me. But dang, those cookware set prices were intimidating! I don't mind having a collection of non-matching cookware so we included items à la carte:
You get the idea.
Aside from other essentials, we included some extraneous items that many of us brides drool over.
Wow. I might actually feel obliged to donate my first born son to whoever buys this for us.
Fondue party, anyone?
Tea time?A girl can dream, no? We also threw in a good assortment of odds 'n ends: spice rack, cooking tongs, measuring cups, etc. Our complete registry is still a work in progress, but we are really making an effort to include all price ranges.
Creating our registry was a really fun activity for us. Exhausting, but fun! I'm not sure if it's even going to be helpful since we aren't formally announcing it, but we had a great time browsing through items and choosing those that would help our humble little loft feel more like a home to us.
So. What do you think? Are wedding registries really useful or even necessary? Should we not get our hopes up if we aren't announcing it anywhere?
Saturday, June 20, 2009
The Registry
Weekly blog time! I apologize for not posting as often as Ms. Tortolita, but they got us working overtime for a while now, and the last thing I can do right now is complain about having too much work! Word! So, what have we been up to... hmmm... hey Ms. Tortolita hasn't posted about our registry adventure. Maybe I can steal that story from here... haha, I will! So, last weekend we drove to the Beverly Center and went into Macy's with the intent to open our wedding registry. Ms. Tortolita was very (very, very) giddy on the ride there and as we neared Macy's... she was very excited. I think this is my favorite part of the wedding process... realizing that every step along the way I kinda have something to do with that little smile of hers. Anyways, enough of the cheese. Macy's!
The first thing we did was walk over the the "Home" section and wait for the wedding lady to come back to her desk. In the meantime, we scoped out the place... checked out the Swarovski (sp?) penguins, the Martha Stewart baby-color collection, and bulletproof pots and pans. I wonder if 50 Cent wears a Celaphon griddle under his shirts when goes out in the streets? So, the lady came back from her lonche and we went over to her desk. She made us sign some paper work (think Dr. appt), punched a couple keystrokes into the computer, and handed Ms. Tortolita a very deadly weapon... a price gun.... a bazooka! To my dismay, Ms. Tortolita is quick and accurate with that thing... I'm somehow questioning her past now... she has to have a deadly weapon possession charge against her... has to! Ok, I might be exaggerating, but try catching up to her with that thing... she went trigger happy.
Macy's provides the customer with a checklist of what they believe should go on your registry. Haha, I'm not gonna say anything, but some of those things are questionable. Fancy china, not so fancy china, sterling silverware, stainless steel silverware, crystal ware, glassware, barware..... ay, ay, ay. I know you all don't know me, but I am a very practical doode. Is there a reason we must have the fancy stuff? Why would a couple (just starting out) ever need to impress.... haha, and I love how they recommend we get sets for 12 ppl! 12 ppl! Really?! I don't think 12 ppl fit in our home... haha ... anyways.... we are pretty reasonable ppl and customized that list to only include things that we need or would use. I actually agree with our list.
"White or red wine glasses? hm.."
The only thing that kinda got me was the prices of things in our list. Actually, the whole registry thing is pretty taboo to me. I heard of the registry maybe 3 years ago, when a couple had the nerve to tell us what to buy them. Lol. That's what it seems like... we always go to parties with whatever gift we wanted to bring. Gifts are surprises! And that's how always saw it, and I felt registries destroyed that element. Haha, I guess wedding gifts are not like Christmas gifts...."oooh, wonder what nino jesus brought us!" (or Santa, if you will). It would suck to end up with 6 blenders, 5 irons, and no pots. So I totally understand why we do it! But I feel bad putting things on the list that I know our family members and friends would have a hard time buying. It would suck to see things on that list that ppl can't afford, what would they think of us? "What, you need a $500 coffee maker, planning on competing with Starbuck's?" I dunno... how should I feel? Like I remember my grandma bought me some socks for a holiday event, and we were very appreciative because we knew she made them with her own hands and really poured her heart in them. Last thing I want is for us to come off materialistic... but we could use the help. I'm prolly just over-examining stuff. I am. Anyways, we had a great time choosing things that we knew we needed and we knew were in our guests' budgets. Some fancier things made in there, but we kept them, because we deserve to be surprised... right?! No ice cream machine, though. I feel like that's not a practical machine, but it is YOMZ! :D
What is your take on wedding registries?
The first thing we did was walk over the the "Home" section and wait for the wedding lady to come back to her desk. In the meantime, we scoped out the place... checked out the Swarovski (sp?) penguins, the Martha Stewart baby-color collection, and bulletproof pots and pans. I wonder if 50 Cent wears a Celaphon griddle under his shirts when goes out in the streets? So, the lady came back from her lonche and we went over to her desk. She made us sign some paper work (think Dr. appt), punched a couple keystrokes into the computer, and handed Ms. Tortolita a very deadly weapon... a price gun.... a bazooka! To my dismay, Ms. Tortolita is quick and accurate with that thing... I'm somehow questioning her past now... she has to have a deadly weapon possession charge against her... has to! Ok, I might be exaggerating, but try catching up to her with that thing... she went trigger happy.
Macy's provides the customer with a checklist of what they believe should go on your registry. Haha, I'm not gonna say anything, but some of those things are questionable. Fancy china, not so fancy china, sterling silverware, stainless steel silverware, crystal ware, glassware, barware..... ay, ay, ay. I know you all don't know me, but I am a very practical doode. Is there a reason we must have the fancy stuff? Why would a couple (just starting out) ever need to impress.... haha, and I love how they recommend we get sets for 12 ppl! 12 ppl! Really?! I don't think 12 ppl fit in our home... haha ... anyways.... we are pretty reasonable ppl and customized that list to only include things that we need or would use. I actually agree with our list.
"White or red wine glasses? hm.."The only thing that kinda got me was the prices of things in our list. Actually, the whole registry thing is pretty taboo to me. I heard of the registry maybe 3 years ago, when a couple had the nerve to tell us what to buy them. Lol. That's what it seems like... we always go to parties with whatever gift we wanted to bring. Gifts are surprises! And that's how always saw it, and I felt registries destroyed that element. Haha, I guess wedding gifts are not like Christmas gifts...."oooh, wonder what nino jesus brought us!" (or Santa, if you will). It would suck to end up with 6 blenders, 5 irons, and no pots. So I totally understand why we do it! But I feel bad putting things on the list that I know our family members and friends would have a hard time buying. It would suck to see things on that list that ppl can't afford, what would they think of us? "What, you need a $500 coffee maker, planning on competing with Starbuck's?" I dunno... how should I feel? Like I remember my grandma bought me some socks for a holiday event, and we were very appreciative because we knew she made them with her own hands and really poured her heart in them. Last thing I want is for us to come off materialistic... but we could use the help. I'm prolly just over-examining stuff. I am. Anyways, we had a great time choosing things that we knew we needed and we knew were in our guests' budgets. Some fancier things made in there, but we kept them, because we deserve to be surprised... right?! No ice cream machine, though. I feel like that's not a practical machine, but it is YOMZ! :D
What is your take on wedding registries?
Wednesday, June 17, 2009
Favorite Places: LA Flower District
Have I told you how much I love fresh flowers? And did you know that one of the things I love most about living in downtown LA is that I am merely blocks away from the LA Flower District? Can I ask for much else from life? Probably not.
It's true, I'm obsessed with florals. And, I am all about being resourceful. Luckily, Los Angeles is very resource-friendly - especially for wedding goods! All of my decorating needs (flowers, linens, craft supplies, etc) are within walking or biking distance from me, so I am fo sho taking advantage of all the resources.
If you've never been to the largest wholesale flower district in the U.S., or if you just need a fix of some fresh flower eye candy, then read along as I share with you a photo tour of one of my favorite places in my hood.
One of the main attractions of the flower district is the wholesale flower market. This is where you will find pretty much every flower imaginable. They open the market in the wee hours of the morning (2am or 5am) to those with a wholesale license, and 6am or 8am (depending on the day) to the public. I don't have a wholesale license so I've only gone during hours open to the public, although I've been meaning to look in to what is required to obtain a license...
There are actually a lot of smaller wholesale flower markets in the area. This one is just the main market, I believe. It's divided into two equally large markets with entrances on opposite sides of the street. Admission is $1 or $2, depending on the day. You can spend hours browsing through the wholesale posts located inside the markets.
How much do I love you, mini cala lillies? And the black cala lillies...I almost died from the emotion. How about you change your season to include November? Pls?
You can find any and every of dry floral products, including the coveted manzanita trees/branches...on the cheap, too!
As well as plenty of succulents.
Right across the street from the flower market is my all-time favorite craft store: Moskatels. Here, you'll find any supplies you might need for do-it-yourself projects, party supplies, or decorations. There are actually a bunch of craft stores scattered around the surrounding blocks, but this is one of the largest stores and is my personal favorite.
A snapshot of one of the ribbon-lined walls.
Vases in all shapes and sizes.
A plethora of silk and artificial flowers.
And all of your oasis foam needs.
The blocks surrounding the flower markets and craft stores are lined with small floral shops.
There are also a bunch of random art/decoration stores. I swear you can find just about anything roaming these streets.
The best part is that the flower district is open practically all day, especially on special occassions. This photo was taken at 1am the day before Mother's Day. It was just as busy as it is during the day.
See what I mean? Flowers and craft supplies up the heezy! I'd recommend this place to anyone local to the Los Angeles area for any of your floral needs, especially my fellow brides-to-be looking to do their own wedding flowers (holler!) And just a few tips: give yourself some time to roam the flower district and compare prices. Like I said, you can really spend hours upon hours in the ~5 to 6 blocks that makes up the flower district. Also, don't be afraid to bargain! You can always save at least a couple bucks if you're persistent enough. Any other questions, holler at your girl.
What's your favorite resource-friendly spot?
It's true, I'm obsessed with florals. And, I am all about being resourceful. Luckily, Los Angeles is very resource-friendly - especially for wedding goods! All of my decorating needs (flowers, linens, craft supplies, etc) are within walking or biking distance from me, so I am fo sho taking advantage of all the resources.
If you've never been to the largest wholesale flower district in the U.S., or if you just need a fix of some fresh flower eye candy, then read along as I share with you a photo tour of one of my favorite places in my hood.
One of the main attractions of the flower district is the wholesale flower market. This is where you will find pretty much every flower imaginable. They open the market in the wee hours of the morning (2am or 5am) to those with a wholesale license, and 6am or 8am (depending on the day) to the public. I don't have a wholesale license so I've only gone during hours open to the public, although I've been meaning to look in to what is required to obtain a license...
There are actually a lot of smaller wholesale flower markets in the area. This one is just the main market, I believe. It's divided into two equally large markets with entrances on opposite sides of the street. Admission is $1 or $2, depending on the day. You can spend hours browsing through the wholesale posts located inside the markets.
How much do I love you, mini cala lillies? And the black cala lillies...I almost died from the emotion. How about you change your season to include November? Pls?
You can find any and every of dry floral products, including the coveted manzanita trees/branches...on the cheap, too!
As well as plenty of succulents.Right across the street from the flower market is my all-time favorite craft store: Moskatels. Here, you'll find any supplies you might need for do-it-yourself projects, party supplies, or decorations. There are actually a bunch of craft stores scattered around the surrounding blocks, but this is one of the largest stores and is my personal favorite.
A snapshot of one of the ribbon-lined walls.
Vases in all shapes and sizes.
A plethora of silk and artificial flowers.
And all of your oasis foam needs.The blocks surrounding the flower markets and craft stores are lined with small floral shops.
There are also a bunch of random art/decoration stores. I swear you can find just about anything roaming these streets.
The best part is that the flower district is open practically all day, especially on special occassions. This photo was taken at 1am the day before Mother's Day. It was just as busy as it is during the day.See what I mean? Flowers and craft supplies up the heezy! I'd recommend this place to anyone local to the Los Angeles area for any of your floral needs, especially my fellow brides-to-be looking to do their own wedding flowers (holler!) And just a few tips: give yourself some time to roam the flower district and compare prices. Like I said, you can really spend hours upon hours in the ~5 to 6 blocks that makes up the flower district. Also, don't be afraid to bargain! You can always save at least a couple bucks if you're persistent enough. Any other questions, holler at your girl.
What's your favorite resource-friendly spot?
Monday, June 15, 2009
Mi Vestido Blanco: Found
As I shared with you in Part I of this anecdote, my first dress shopping experience was a little bit of a disappointment. The bridal boutique that I had visited left me with a bad taste in my mouth so I decided to keep searching for my dress elsewhere. Like I've said before, I'm not the pickiest dress shopper. I really wasn't looking for that perfect dress. I was always skeptical of the whole finding "the one" moment. But dang it, I found it and I am now a firm believer.
A few weeks after I visited the first boutique, I decided to visit Minguita's Bridal located in downtown LA. I called ahead to confirm that they carried Casablanca dresses, and they did. They didn't carry the particular style I was looking for but it wasn't that big of a deal as I was still open to trying on different dresses.
At the boutique, I gave the attendant who was helping me a general description of the style of dress I was looking for. She brought out a couple dresses for me to try on, both of which made me feel "eh." The attendant studied me for a bit and probably noticed that I wasn't fully set on a style. She asked if I would be willing to try on a dress that she had in the back which was completely different than the previous dresses she had brought out for me. I welcomed her recommendation and she promptly returned with a new one for me to try on. It was a hot Kitty Chen number and I knew I loved it the moment I saw myself in the mirror. It evoked every feeling that I imagine a wedding dress would evoke in a bride. I knew I had found "the one." It feels so silly saying that since I was so skeptical of it all from the beginning, but it's real man!
Unfortch, Mr. Tortolito hasn't seen the dress and it's something that I really want to keep as a surprise for him until our wedding day. So there won't be any pictures of my dress unless I can figure out a creative way of keeping any photos away from his eyes in the future... BUT, I'm here to tell you that the "finding the one" feeling does indeed exist! This is coming from the girl who thought that any pretty dress that complemented me would be just fine. Or maybe it was just the fact that I'm not picky that allowed me to easily embrace and fall in love with a dress. Perhaps it was sheer luck? I dunno... What do you think? Does anyone else believe in finding "the one?"
A few weeks after I visited the first boutique, I decided to visit Minguita's Bridal located in downtown LA. I called ahead to confirm that they carried Casablanca dresses, and they did. They didn't carry the particular style I was looking for but it wasn't that big of a deal as I was still open to trying on different dresses.
At the boutique, I gave the attendant who was helping me a general description of the style of dress I was looking for. She brought out a couple dresses for me to try on, both of which made me feel "eh." The attendant studied me for a bit and probably noticed that I wasn't fully set on a style. She asked if I would be willing to try on a dress that she had in the back which was completely different than the previous dresses she had brought out for me. I welcomed her recommendation and she promptly returned with a new one for me to try on. It was a hot Kitty Chen number and I knew I loved it the moment I saw myself in the mirror. It evoked every feeling that I imagine a wedding dress would evoke in a bride. I knew I had found "the one." It feels so silly saying that since I was so skeptical of it all from the beginning, but it's real man!
Unfortch, Mr. Tortolito hasn't seen the dress and it's something that I really want to keep as a surprise for him until our wedding day. So there won't be any pictures of my dress unless I can figure out a creative way of keeping any photos away from his eyes in the future... BUT, I'm here to tell you that the "finding the one" feeling does indeed exist! This is coming from the girl who thought that any pretty dress that complemented me would be just fine. Or maybe it was just the fact that I'm not picky that allowed me to easily embrace and fall in love with a dress. Perhaps it was sheer luck? I dunno... What do you think? Does anyone else believe in finding "the one?"
Friday, June 12, 2009
A Friendor
I had an appointment with my "hair lady," Isabel, last week for my semi-annual trim. Yeah, I know...semi-annual. I'm pretty careless when it comes to length upkeeping but super attentive with hair maintenance (picky as to when I wash it, when to straighten/scrunch it, etc). The way I see it, the longer the better! I've never not had long hair. But, Isabel never fails to scold me for waiting so long to trim my locks as it results in her having to cut off more than the normal trim length. Ooops.
Anywho, I've been going to Isabel for all my hair needs for the past, ohhh, 7 to 8 years. She did my updo's during my senior year formals in high school, streaked my hair with highlights and dyed it red when I was going through that phase, brought my hair back to life when I embraced my natural color once again, and has provided me with countless trims and styles.
There was no doubt in my mind that I wanted to her to be my "hair lady" on my wedding day. When I visited her this time around I posed a very important question. Slightly nervous, I asked "Hey Isabel, can I hire you to do my hair for my wedding?"
She responded "Oh girl I already had your wedding date scheduled on my calendar. Your mom already told me about it. It's been reserved for months."
Sweeet!
Isabel then recommended that I visit her again in about 3 months to fit in one more trim before the wedding (guess I can't get away with my semi-annual plan this time!) and then visit her around September or October to do some hair trials. You know what this means: Inspiration time!
Unlike my attitude with finding the perfect wedding dress, I'm actually doing research for my wedding day hair. My hair might actually be a much bigger deal to me. WEIRD, I know! Anyway, I'm not sure I want to hide my long hair in a big updo or bun. I'm thinking more of the loose curls, voluminous, romantic-ish look. Kinda like this:
So does Eva Longoria:
{Source}
Or if I did decide to go with the updo, I'd need there to be a lil' bit of volume à la Jessica Alba:
{Source}
I haven't ruled out the up do option just yet. I'll need to try out the different styles and also determine which ones are veil-friendly.
I might even ask Isabel to throw a little Sasha Fierce in there.
{Source}
What style did you/are you werkin' it with on your wedding day? I'd love to hear any recommendations or see some inspiration!
Anywho, I've been going to Isabel for all my hair needs for the past, ohhh, 7 to 8 years. She did my updo's during my senior year formals in high school, streaked my hair with highlights and dyed it red when I was going through that phase, brought my hair back to life when I embraced my natural color once again, and has provided me with countless trims and styles.
There was no doubt in my mind that I wanted to her to be my "hair lady" on my wedding day. When I visited her this time around I posed a very important question. Slightly nervous, I asked "Hey Isabel, can I hire you to do my hair for my wedding?"
She responded "Oh girl I already had your wedding date scheduled on my calendar. Your mom already told me about it. It's been reserved for months."
Sweeet!
Isabel then recommended that I visit her again in about 3 months to fit in one more trim before the wedding (guess I can't get away with my semi-annual plan this time!) and then visit her around September or October to do some hair trials. You know what this means: Inspiration time!
Unlike my attitude with finding the perfect wedding dress, I'm actually doing research for my wedding day hair. My hair might actually be a much bigger deal to me. WEIRD, I know! Anyway, I'm not sure I want to hide my long hair in a big updo or bun. I'm thinking more of the loose curls, voluminous, romantic-ish look. Kinda like this:
Gawd I love this look!
So does Eva Longoria:
{Source}Or if I did decide to go with the updo, I'd need there to be a lil' bit of volume à la Jessica Alba:
{Source}I might even ask Isabel to throw a little Sasha Fierce in there.
{Source}Werrk!
Moral of the story: I like volume and Im gonna need Isabel to incorporate it in my wedding day hairstyle.What style did you/are you werkin' it with on your wedding day? I'd love to hear any recommendations or see some inspiration!
Monday, June 8, 2009
Finding Mi Vestido Blanco
Honestly, finding a wedding dress was one of the least of my priorities on my wedding checklist. Yeah, I know you're supposed to give the bridal store a good 4 to 6 months to allow your dress to arrive, so going sooner rather than later is probably a good idea. Yet every time I opened up a wedding magazine or browsed the internet for dress inspiration, I was instantly overwhelmed. Sometimes there just too much inspiration out there, ya know? Let's just say that I wasn't exactly running out of my front door to go to the nearest bridal boutique the moment I got engaged. Plus, I'm not a particularly picky person when it comes to dresses. If I find something that fits and compliments my petite frame then that's good enough for me.
I decided that my strategy for finding that perfect dress would consist of spending an afternoon at a bridal boutique that had a good variety, trying on all types of styles to see what looked best on me, and make a decision then and there. If the dress was reasonably priced then great, where do I sign? If not, I was prepared to take note of the designer and dress style and compare prices from different sources. I really just wanted to get it over with and move on with the wedding planning.
A few months ago, I made an appointment at a boutique located in Orange County. My mom, sister, and I walked in to this fairly large store with a good selection of gowns. When our attendant asked me if I had a dress in mind, I told her no; I wanted to try on different styles. So, she started bringing in the gowns. It was time to play dress up! After trying on several dresses, I found a couple of them that fit my criteria. They fit me well, made me feel "bridey," and I could totally see myself marrying my man in either one.
Similar to many bridal boutiques, I was not allowed to take any pictures. Alright, alright, I get it. You don't want me to use my amateur photo as a design sketch. I can easily recreate this masterpiece of a gown using my home sewing kit. You know this. Convinced that I had found the candidates for my wedding dress and given that I was not allowed to take any pictures, I tried to extract as much information as I could from the attendant: Can I at least get the name of the designers and the dress styles? Huh? No? It's against store policy? Oh what, you'll give me the designer names after all but not the style numbers? Okay.... I'm going to go home now...and never come back...
Yeah. I was pretty disappointed. I was not about to give my business to a company that did not have my best interest in mind, so I up and left. When I got home I did some digging and found the two dresses that I really liked. Since I didn't end up choosing either of them I'll go ahead and post pictures.
Lovely, no? I really loved the romantic simplicity of these dresses. I was determined to try them on again at a different boutique. About a month later, I visited a boutique located in my hood- downtown LA. Although they didn't have the dresses that I was looking for, I was pleasantly surprised with their selection. I'll share the result of the search for mi vestido blanco soon enough...
(hint: I found my dream dress.)
Now what I really wanna know is this: is this type of experience common for other brides-to-be searching for that perfect wedding dress? Do bridal boutiques really think it's okay to play us that way?
I decided that my strategy for finding that perfect dress would consist of spending an afternoon at a bridal boutique that had a good variety, trying on all types of styles to see what looked best on me, and make a decision then and there. If the dress was reasonably priced then great, where do I sign? If not, I was prepared to take note of the designer and dress style and compare prices from different sources. I really just wanted to get it over with and move on with the wedding planning.
A few months ago, I made an appointment at a boutique located in Orange County. My mom, sister, and I walked in to this fairly large store with a good selection of gowns. When our attendant asked me if I had a dress in mind, I told her no; I wanted to try on different styles. So, she started bringing in the gowns. It was time to play dress up! After trying on several dresses, I found a couple of them that fit my criteria. They fit me well, made me feel "bridey," and I could totally see myself marrying my man in either one.
Similar to many bridal boutiques, I was not allowed to take any pictures. Alright, alright, I get it. You don't want me to use my amateur photo as a design sketch. I can easily recreate this masterpiece of a gown using my home sewing kit. You know this. Convinced that I had found the candidates for my wedding dress and given that I was not allowed to take any pictures, I tried to extract as much information as I could from the attendant: Can I at least get the name of the designers and the dress styles? Huh? No? It's against store policy? Oh what, you'll give me the designer names after all but not the style numbers? Okay.... I'm going to go home now...and never come back...
Yeah. I was pretty disappointed. I was not about to give my business to a company that did not have my best interest in mind, so I up and left. When I got home I did some digging and found the two dresses that I really liked. Since I didn't end up choosing either of them I'll go ahead and post pictures.
Lovely, no? I really loved the romantic simplicity of these dresses. I was determined to try them on again at a different boutique. About a month later, I visited a boutique located in my hood- downtown LA. Although they didn't have the dresses that I was looking for, I was pleasantly surprised with their selection. I'll share the result of the search for mi vestido blanco soon enough...
(hint: I found my dream dress.)
Now what I really wanna know is this: is this type of experience common for other brides-to-be searching for that perfect wedding dress? Do bridal boutiques really think it's okay to play us that way?
Sunday, June 7, 2009
Just for kicks....
With a title like this, I would normally start talking about the beautiful Jordan shoes or the sweet mid-top Nike dunks based on Hieneken's designs, but as used in its alternate context, I'm posting just to share what's on my mind... just because. But, before I continue, I would like to start off by thanking Ms. Tortolita for sharing her thoughts about how awesome it is to live with a boy (see one of her previous posts). Ha, so I sprinkle when I drizzle and leave the seat up to avoid such heresy. So, my bad for not putting the seat back down, but Ms. Tortolita... you have your things too... let the drama begin...
Haha, just kidding... I will not retaliate against my little lady, but she does have her peculiarities... for example, her long hair spreads around the loft like a mad disease... it covers our floors and plugs our sinks/tubs. Yucko! Ha, our bathroom is full of different "products" for every single part of your body. "The face needs to be exfoliated with the peach stuff, your feet with the peppermint one, and your hair with one of 10 products there." My soap smells like fresh cucumber and my lotion like vanilla. I smell like a Jamba Juice smoothie. Ha!
Anyways, today we sat down and created a list of things we would like to place in our registry. I'm not saying this wedding stuff is totally aimed for the bride to be, but I am. Umm.... out of the 30 items we wrote down, I think I knew what a blender, toaster, and coffee maker were. Can someone enlighten me as to what a sifter is and how it tastes? Or a roller pin? I have a feeling that's a hair product like everything else in our bathroom...and a hair dryer? I thought registry benefited the couple. I have a crew cut... Ms. Tortolita! A crew cut. No fair! Plus all this kitchen stuff so so specific... "omg, we're gonna need a pizza roller thingy to roll the dough for our pizza. And a roller to cut slices." Really? We've made pizza once in the past 8 months. "And china-ware!" Oh you mean the set of dishes all of our moms put in a cupboard to never be used... EVER! The one that is meant for very special occasions, but when the special occasion comes through the dishes are kept away since they are too nice to scratch. Ay ay ay... since we are using Macy's... would it be ok to put in a pack of 2 undies for me.... I think my boxers are a bit old... or a hot dress shirt? You know, for the iron and ironing board that made it to the registry list? I know this registry stuff is meant to benefit the couple who is starting their new life together, but it would be nice to know what these things we need are. Oh yea, and no george foreman grille? Ummm, how do we forget to include products from a former heavyweight champion of the world, but remember to include a former detainee's endorsed kitchenware... name rhymes with "Martha Stewart."
Haha, it is very fun to note how both our individual lives are changing to accommodate each other in our own lives. It's exciting to think differently about many things to hopefully agree down the line. To accept "that's how he/she is" type things and love it. On that note, Ms. Tortolita, I love sweeping up your long hairs when we clean and I am certain that you will look beautiful with that rolling pin decorating your long beautiful hair. Just add one of these: YOM!
UPDATE: A rolling pin is that rod used to flatten pizzas and used by others to pock ppl over the head.
Haha, just kidding... I will not retaliate against my little lady, but she does have her peculiarities... for example, her long hair spreads around the loft like a mad disease... it covers our floors and plugs our sinks/tubs. Yucko! Ha, our bathroom is full of different "products" for every single part of your body. "The face needs to be exfoliated with the peach stuff, your feet with the peppermint one, and your hair with one of 10 products there." My soap smells like fresh cucumber and my lotion like vanilla. I smell like a Jamba Juice smoothie. Ha!
Anyways, today we sat down and created a list of things we would like to place in our registry. I'm not saying this wedding stuff is totally aimed for the bride to be, but I am. Umm.... out of the 30 items we wrote down, I think I knew what a blender, toaster, and coffee maker were. Can someone enlighten me as to what a sifter is and how it tastes? Or a roller pin? I have a feeling that's a hair product like everything else in our bathroom...and a hair dryer? I thought registry benefited the couple. I have a crew cut... Ms. Tortolita! A crew cut. No fair! Plus all this kitchen stuff so so specific... "omg, we're gonna need a pizza roller thingy to roll the dough for our pizza. And a roller to cut slices." Really? We've made pizza once in the past 8 months. "And china-ware!" Oh you mean the set of dishes all of our moms put in a cupboard to never be used... EVER! The one that is meant for very special occasions, but when the special occasion comes through the dishes are kept away since they are too nice to scratch. Ay ay ay... since we are using Macy's... would it be ok to put in a pack of 2 undies for me.... I think my boxers are a bit old... or a hot dress shirt? You know, for the iron and ironing board that made it to the registry list? I know this registry stuff is meant to benefit the couple who is starting their new life together, but it would be nice to know what these things we need are. Oh yea, and no george foreman grille? Ummm, how do we forget to include products from a former heavyweight champion of the world, but remember to include a former detainee's endorsed kitchenware... name rhymes with "Martha Stewart."
Haha, it is very fun to note how both our individual lives are changing to accommodate each other in our own lives. It's exciting to think differently about many things to hopefully agree down the line. To accept "that's how he/she is" type things and love it. On that note, Ms. Tortolita, I love sweeping up your long hairs when we clean and I am certain that you will look beautiful with that rolling pin decorating your long beautiful hair. Just add one of these: YOM!
UPDATE: A rolling pin is that rod used to flatten pizzas and used by others to pock ppl over the head.
Wednesday, June 3, 2009
La Misa Panamericana
Anyone who knows us can tell you that Los Tortolitos are huge fans of mariachi music. Some of my favorite memories with Mr. Tortolito are those where we are sitting back and relaxing, sipping on a Paloma while being serenaded by a mariachi band. Mariachi was one of the elements that we knew we wanted to incorporate in our wedding from the start. We can't our wedding without it! They personify my definition of celebration, happy times, joy; and are one of the most genuine expressions of our Mexican culture.
At our reception, mariachi will be entertaining our guests during the cocktail hour into the early part of dinner. We've also got another big role in mind for them: ceremony music. We will be having a Misa Panamericana (Panamerican Mass), which is essentially a full Catholic mass incorporating live mariachi music. The church where we are getting married at has one Panamerican Mass a month, and Mr. Tortolito and I make an effort to go to those since we can't get enough mariachi music! I think this will be the perfect touch to our wedding as well as a treat for our guests since it is not very common in the U.S.
Most of the songs played during mass are pretty standard, only the mariachi will be playing their rendition of them. Music that we do have some freedom with are the processional songs. We need to decide on the beginning processional music, which shouldn't be too difficult of a task. For the bride's entrance, though, I will be walking down the aisle to Ave Maria:
Wow. It's going to take a minor miracle for me to maintain my composure and make it down the aisle to Mr. Tortolito without a river of tears+mascara+eyeliner+contact lenses rushing down my face. But I'll worry about that later.
Anyone else incorporating mariachi music into their big day?
At our reception, mariachi will be entertaining our guests during the cocktail hour into the early part of dinner. We've also got another big role in mind for them: ceremony music. We will be having a Misa Panamericana (Panamerican Mass), which is essentially a full Catholic mass incorporating live mariachi music. The church where we are getting married at has one Panamerican Mass a month, and Mr. Tortolito and I make an effort to go to those since we can't get enough mariachi music! I think this will be the perfect touch to our wedding as well as a treat for our guests since it is not very common in the U.S.
Most of the songs played during mass are pretty standard, only the mariachi will be playing their rendition of them. Music that we do have some freedom with are the processional songs. We need to decide on the beginning processional music, which shouldn't be too difficult of a task. For the bride's entrance, though, I will be walking down the aisle to Ave Maria:
Wow. It's going to take a minor miracle for me to maintain my composure and make it down the aisle to Mr. Tortolito without a river of tears+mascara+eyeliner+contact lenses rushing down my face. But I'll worry about that later.
Anyone else incorporating mariachi music into their big day?
Monday, June 1, 2009
The Most Important Part
I always wanted to get married in a big, beautiful church. Well, I wanted to get married in a church, period. And I wanted to get married in a Catholic church at that. I was raised Catholic, as was Mr. Tortolito. While we don't consider ourselves "devout" Catholics it was still important for us to marry in the church.
I wasn't the girl who browsed through an endless pile of wedding magazines choosing my color scheme and deciding on "must-have" flowers. I was, however, the girl who took trips to Mexico and stood humbled by the architecture, detail, grandeur, and sheer beauty of the countless churches adorning the streets; the only thought running through her mind "if only I could get married here..."
{My fotos. Obsessed with churches? Maybe, a little bit...YES}
I was that girl who attended mass during her college years at Saint Vincent de Paul. That girl who decided "well, if I don't get married in Mexico then THIS is where I want to get married. RIGHT here."
(girlfriend's got a looong road to the altar)
Once we determined our date, Mr. Tortolito and I made arrangements to begin securing the spot where we shall be wed. As we have learned through this planning process and by hearing from other couples, every parish has different requirements for marriage preparation. Ours went a little something like this:
1. Attend a mandatory informational meeting at the church led by a church representative (not the priest).
2. Obtain a new, original signed copy of baptism certificate (must not be dated more than 6 months, otherwise obtain a newer one).
3. Gather copies of first communion and confirmation certificates, do not need to be original copies (i.e., search for hours through your mom's collection of keepsakes and files stashed in the garage).
4. Sign up for and participate in an 8-hour marriage preparation class. Obtain completion certificate.
5. Sign up for an Engaged Encounter weekend, usually reserved months in advance. Obtain copy of proof of enrollment.
6. Call the priest. Tell him you have copies of all the requested documents and have signed up for/completed required classes. Arrange a meeting with the priest.
7. Meet with the priest, check if your wedding date is available (we were still over a year out when we met with him. Our date was available - whew!).
8. Pay church fee.
9. Complete Engaged Encounter weekend.
10. Arrange more meetings with the priest to finalize your wedding mass.
That's a lot of steps, huh? Really, it wasn't all that bad. We treated it as a checklist as we gathered our documents and completed our marriage preparation classes. Everything went pretty smoothly and I am more than elated to be getting married at this church. On top of that, the priest here is awesome! I know he will deliver a great mass and wedding ceremony for us. Trust, a sleep-inducing mass is not hard to come by, but I actually enjoy his masses!
It seems like a lot of people have their "one" perfect wedding requirement. Did you? If so, what was yours?
I wasn't the girl who browsed through an endless pile of wedding magazines choosing my color scheme and deciding on "must-have" flowers. I was, however, the girl who took trips to Mexico and stood humbled by the architecture, detail, grandeur, and sheer beauty of the countless churches adorning the streets; the only thought running through her mind "if only I could get married here..."
{My fotos. Obsessed with churches? Maybe, a little bit...YES}
I was that girl who attended mass during her college years at Saint Vincent de Paul. That girl who decided "well, if I don't get married in Mexico then THIS is where I want to get married. RIGHT here."
(girlfriend's got a looong road to the altar)1. Attend a mandatory informational meeting at the church led by a church representative (not the priest).
2. Obtain a new, original signed copy of baptism certificate (must not be dated more than 6 months, otherwise obtain a newer one).
3. Gather copies of first communion and confirmation certificates, do not need to be original copies (i.e., search for hours through your mom's collection of keepsakes and files stashed in the garage).
4. Sign up for and participate in an 8-hour marriage preparation class. Obtain completion certificate.
5. Sign up for an Engaged Encounter weekend, usually reserved months in advance. Obtain copy of proof of enrollment.
6. Call the priest. Tell him you have copies of all the requested documents and have signed up for/completed required classes. Arrange a meeting with the priest.
7. Meet with the priest, check if your wedding date is available (we were still over a year out when we met with him. Our date was available - whew!).
8. Pay church fee.
9. Complete Engaged Encounter weekend.
10. Arrange more meetings with the priest to finalize your wedding mass.
That's a lot of steps, huh? Really, it wasn't all that bad. We treated it as a checklist as we gathered our documents and completed our marriage preparation classes. Everything went pretty smoothly and I am more than elated to be getting married at this church. On top of that, the priest here is awesome! I know he will deliver a great mass and wedding ceremony for us. Trust, a sleep-inducing mass is not hard to come by, but I actually enjoy his masses!
It seems like a lot of people have their "one" perfect wedding requirement. Did you? If so, what was yours?
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